And Then There Were Three
by Hplover4ever3
Summary: This short story starts in the Battle of Hogwarts during the seventh year. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are running to watch Voldemort's meeting with Snape. However, what they do not know is that unseen ghosts Lily, James, and Dumbledore are alongside them. The story shows Lily's and James's reactions to Snape's death, Remus's and Fred's deaths, and finally, the prince's tale.


"What...what's going on?" Lily asked her husband.

James looked around, dodging a few flying Deatheaters.

"I think this is it," he said, ducking once more.

"Oh yes, it most certainly is," said Dumbledore calmly.

"James, honey, they can't touch you," Lily pointed out. James closed his eyes for a moment.

"Right," he said, opening them again.

Lily turned to look at the old man's silver eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

"We are here because you need to see this, I think," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Tonight will determine the future of the wizarding world. Tonight.."

"Come on!" Lily cried, suddenly realizing where Dumbledore was going with this. She tugged at James' arm. "We have to find harry!"

The pair ran through the wrecked corridors, stopping only briefly to observe fellow loved ones. Remus was tearing at Greyback's neck while Tonks battled Bellatrix.

"Where's Harry?" said Lily, looking around in a panic.

James hopped up on a bench and peered over the heads of thousands of battlers while Lily ran into the courtyard, passing through the giant troll that nearly crushed Professor McGonagall to pieces.

"Lily!" James cried, once he'd realized that she'd gone. He ran after her, following the red hair carefully. Lily stopped on the bridge, half of which had been blasted off, and stared into the distance. James joined her.

"He is over there," Dumbledore said.

Lily slowly nodded, pointing at the Whomping Willow in the distance, where three figures could be seen running around flying branches.

"Harry!" James called with all his might.

"He won't hear you," said Dumbledore, while beside him, Lily was looking around for a way to get across.

At that moment, a giant troll began to approach them. Almost instinctively, the pair grabbed its feet and held on as it carried them across the wreckage. Soon, they were on the other side and, holding hands, they leapt off and ran for the willow, inside which harry, Ron, and Hermione were already hiding.

After several minutes of searching in the dark, Lily and James finally located the three.

"Oh, Harry!" Lily cried, kneeling down next to him. Knowing he could not see or hear her, she stroked his hair and watched her son crawl through the tunnel.

Finally, the three sat down as carefully and quietly as possible. James knelt down beside them and observed with them. Lily however, had already noticed what they were observing, and ran into the room to get a better look.

"You have performed extraordinary magic with this wand, my lord, in the last few hours alone," said a voice she knew oh so well.

"Severus," Lily whispered, watching him as he stood in the middle of the room, hands behind his back, expression serious. Beside him, Dumbledore watched intently.

Lily's eyes filled with tears but before she could do anything else, she spotted another figure entering the room and jumped back at the sight of it. Voldemort.

"Why am I here..." she asked the old man standing next to her.

"You'll see soon enough," Dumbledore smiled.

"No," the cold voice of her enemy told her friend, "No, I am extraordinary but the wand resists me."

"There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander himself has said it," Snape continued. "Tonight, when the boy comes, it will not fail you, I'm sure of it."

Lily watched in horror.

"Sev?" she whispered, glaring at him.

"It answers to you," Snape continued as Voldemort halted to a stop before him, "and you only."

"Does it?" said Voldemort.

Snape frowned.

"My lord?"

"Lord?" Lily echoed, turning her gaze on her murderer just as James hurried to her side to watch as well, knowing that his son was safe with the other two behind the wall.

"The wand..." continued Voldemort, now beginning to circle Snape. "Does it truly answer to me?"

"What.." began James, but Lily shushed him.

"You're a clever man, Severus. Surely, you must know. Where does its true loyalty lie?" Voldemort asked.

"With you, of course, my lord," said Snape seriously.

"The elder wand," continued the cold voice, "cannot serve me properly because I am not its true master. The elder wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner."

"I told you this scum was working for him, didn't I?" James told Lily as he was now looking Snape up and down.

"That's not news to me, James," said Lily, her voice breaking slightly.

"You killed Dumbledore, Severus," said Voldemort.

"WHAT?!" cried James and Lily together, both now staring incredulously at Dumbledore.

"Just wait," he told them, with a sad smile.

"While you live," said Voldemort, glaring at Snape, "the elder wand cannot truly be mine."

Snape slowly dropped his hands to his sides, fear spreading across his face. Lily brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes fuming with anger and fear.

"You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus," said Voldemort. "But only I can live forever."

"Sev," cried Lily.

"My lord...?" began Snape.

In an instant, Voldemort waved his wand and blood shot out of snape's throat. Lily screamed as James brought her to his arms.

"Nagini," said Voldemort, just as Snape dropped to the ground, "kill."

It happened very quickly yet it seemed like hours passed before it was finally over.

Voldemort disapparated, leaving Snape sprawled on the floor, gushing in his own blood and gasping for precious air.

"Oh!" Lily wailed into James' shoulder, afraid to look.

Seconds later, Harry entered the room on shaking feet, followed by Hermione and Ron, both of whom looked horror-struck.

Lily did not hear them come in but kept sobbing, while James watched his son drop his wand to the ground and kneel down next to Snape. Dumbledore smiled at the sight of harry. Harry placed a shaking hand on Snape's neck to try and ease the pain. Snape's eyes met harry's and James watched in shock as tears trickled down the hateful man's cheeks.

"Take them," Snape gasped, looking at harry.

Lily spun around, with James' arm still around her, and wiped her tears to watch.

"Take them, please," Snape repeated, and at this, Harry quickly motioned for Hermione to give him a flask. He gently collected the tears into the flask and held it firmly in his hand.

"Take them to the pensieve," Snape breathed. Harry nodded understandably.

"Look at me," Snape told Harry, and he did.

"You have your mother's eyes."

Harry stared into the dying man's eyes with confusion as Lily's sobs resumed and James' grip on her tightened.

* * *

><p>The Great Hall was a scene of absolute terror. Lily, who seemed to have calmed down a bit, walked with James behind Harry who was slowly striding down the hall, looking down at all who had perished. Pain was stricken on his face as he recognized some bodies. Ahead of him, Ron and Hermione had halted to a stop next to the rest of the Weasleys. There was a moment's pause before Lily and James realized that Fred Weasley lay on a mat, forever unseeing.<p>

"Why..." began James, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"Wait," he said quietly.

Ron collapsed next to his brother and sobbed hard as Hermione hugged a tearful Ginny and Harry stood a few feet away, his face broken. His parents strode over to comfort him and, pausing for a second-for fear of what he thought he'd saw from the corner of his eye- Harry looked down to see none other than Remus lupin's and Nymphadora Tonks's bodies laying still on mats side by side.

With tears in his eyes, Harry stood watching them, unknowing of his parents' presence there. James was now crying too and Lily was hugging him and Harry.

Professor McGonagall began to approach harry but he acted fast. With one last look at the suffering family, Harry turned away from the scene and strode out of the Great Hall, with Lily and James following him closely behind.

* * *

><p>Harry slowly walked over to the pensieve, unaware that Lily and James stood on either side of him, while Dumbledore sat at his desk, smiling at the little family.<p>

James gave Dumbledore a questioning look and Dumbledore nodded at the pensieve. So together, James, Lily, and Harry dove into the pensieve and watched a scene unfold.

Two girls were standing in an open field on a hot summer's day. Lily recognized her younger self and little Petunia and smiled at the memory of her long ago childhood. She watched her younger self make a flower bud grow within seconds, then quickly gasped at the sight of Petunia knocking the flower out of her hand.

"Is that.." began James.

"Yes," said older Lily. "That's Tuny"

"...tell mummy!" dried petunia. "You're a freak! You're a freak, Lily!"

Lily, James, and Harry watched a boy appear from within a nearby tree. He was about their age and had dark hair and pale skin. Petunia ran away at the sight of him. The boy, watching younger Lily, plucked some grass and turned it into a tiny bird which fluttered over to Lily who caught it and gave him a shy smile.

"Who's that?" said James.

"Sev," said older Lily, smiling sadly.

The scene changed.

Lily and James followed Harry by a lake and spotted younger Lily and Snape lying in the grass, watching birds fluttering in the trees.

"She's jealous," Snape was saying. "She's ordinary and you're special."

"Ugh" James scoffed as younger Lily said "That's mean, Severus."

The scene changed again.

It was their first day at Hogwarts and Lily, James, and Harry watched younger Lily putting on the sorting hat which screamed just as soon as it touched her head, "Gryffindor!"

Professor McGonagall smiled down at her as she jumped from the stool happily and walked over to the Gryffindor table, giving Snape a sad smile as she passed him. She sat down next to young James who shook her hand and introduced himself. Sirius was sitting on her other side and, remembering them from the train, she looked away from them.

"Do you remember that?" older James said to older Lily, smiling slightly.

"Of course," she laughed quietly. "I hated you so much."

"Really? I think I already fancied you then."

"Probably _because_ I hated you."

The scene changed again.

Lily, James, and Harry followed younger Lily and Snape walking along the castle halls, holding stacks of books. Younger James and Sirius ran past them, purposefully knocking the books to the ground.

"Sorry," mumbled older James, watching himself with shame.

Lily sighed heavily.

Harry watched with horror as his dad's performance only worsened over the years.

The scene changed again.

Lily, James, and Harry were standing in the great hall, where younger Lily and James, in their 5th years then, were taking their O.W.L.s. Lily watched with much admiration as younger James sketched her name in his notebook. Older James blushed and harry beamed at the younger versions of his parents.

Next, the gang were outside by the tree where James and his friends tormented Snape. Harry had seen this memory before and Lily and James did not want to relive it either. They waited until it was over and the scene dissolved.

Lily and Severus were arguing outside the entrance to Gryffindor tower.

"I'm sorry!" He cried desperately.

"I'm not interested," she told him.

"I'm sorry!" he tried again.

"Save your breath," she replied.

"I didn't know," began James but older Lily silenced him with a small smile.

"I took in a lot of what he did," she told him, "but calling me mudblood was the last straw."

"Yeah," said James, putting his arm around her shoulder. Harry was still watching intently, confused as ever, as the scene changed again.

Snape, now an adult, was standing on a cliff in the dark, begging Dumbledore to hide Lily.

"Yes, but he thinks it's _her_ son!" he was saying, as older Lily watched curiously. "He intends to hunt them down now to kill them. Hide her! Hide them _all!_ I beg you!"

"What?!" cried James. "But... I thought-"

"So did I!" said Lily, tears forming in her eyes again.

"What will you give me in exchange, Severus?" said Dumbledore.

"Anything," finished Snape.

The scene changed and Lily, James, and Harry watched the terror of that night in Godric's Hollow occur. Baby Harry cried as his mother fell to the ground, having been hit by 'avada kedavra". James lay dead in the corridor and Harry, now with the scar, was completely alone.

Snape's voice echoed as the scene slowly and gradually changed. They were now standing in Dumbledore's office and adult Snape was crying beyond recognition.

"You said...you said you would keep her safe!"

"Oh James, I can't watch this!" cried Lily, burying herself in his shoulder.

Harry's eyebrows had risen so far up his forehead. He was beyond confused.

"...he has her eyes," Dumbledore was saying..."if you truly loved her,"

James stared in complete and utter shock.

"I had no idea," he whispered.

"Neither did I," Lily managed to say between sobs.

"No one can know," said Snape.

"I shall never reveal the best of you, Severus," said Dumbledore. "And you'll risk your life everyday to protect the boy."

The scene changed again, showing Snape pacing around dumbledore's office in what looked like to be Harry's first year at Hogwarts.

"He possesses no measurable talent, his arrogance is even that as his father, and he seems to relish in his fame!"

'Fool!" James shouted, but the scene quickly changed. Lily looked up. They were standing in Snape's office during Harry's occlumency lesson in his fifth year.

"James Potter... Lazy ...arrogant"

"My father was a great man" cried Harry as Snape shoved him towards a chair.

"Your father was a swine!" cried Snape.

James lunged at Snape but Lily held him back firmly. Harry too, watched the scene in horror as it once again changed.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, drinking a rue while Snape examined his blackened hand.

"It will contain the curse to your hand for the time being," Snape was saying. Feeling dizzy with information, Harry sat down on a step and watched. Lily and James followed him but remained standing.

"It will spread, Albus,"

"How long?"

There was a long pause.

"Maybe a year."

Snape jumped off his chair and stormed across the office towards the door.

"Don't ignore me, Severus," Dumbledore called after him, causing him to halt to a stop.

"We both know that Lord Voldemort has ordered the Malfoy boy to murder me."

At this, Snape turned to face Dumbledore, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"But should he fail," continue Dumbledore, "I should presume the Dark Lord will turn to you."

Snape's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"You must be the one to kill me, Severus," said Dumbledore as-a-matter-of-factly. "It is the only way. Only then will the Dark Lord trust you completely."

Lily took a hold of James' hand and he gripped it tightly. Both had their hands on Harry's shoulders, though he could not feel them.

"There will come a time when Harry Potter must be told something," said Dumbledore, now slowly rising from his chair. "But you must wait, until Voldemort is at his most vulnerable."

"Must be told what?!" demanded Snape.

"On the night in Godric's Hollow, when Voldemort went to kill harry, and Lily Potter cast herself between them, the curse rebounded."

"Come again?" said James, taking a few steps towards Dumbledore. Lily slowly followed behind, watching Dumbledore carefully.

"When that happened," said Dumbledore, slowly pacing around the office, "a part of Voldemort's soul latched itself onto the only living thing it could find...Harry himself."

Lily gasped. James turned to look at harry who sat at the stairs, very still, looking as if he were about to throw up.

"There was a reason Harry could speak to snakes," said Dumbledore. "There was a reason he could look directly into Voldemort's mind. A part of Voldemort lives _inside_ him."

James stared at Dumbledore with disbelief, while Lily gazed up at Snape who looked just as shocked.

"So, when the time comes..." said Snape slowly, "the boy must die?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore sadly, "he must die."

Harry rose to his feet and walked right up to Dumbledore, eyeing him as though checking whether this was a joke or a lie.

Lily put her ghostly arm around her son's shoulder. James stood frozen. Snape leaned against a wall, breathing hard.

"You've kept him alive so that he could die at the proper moment," he told Dumbledore. "You. . . I thought we were keeping him safe for her... But all these years...you...you've been raising him like a pig for slaughter!"

"What is this, Severus?" said Dumbledore, apparently amused. "Have you grown to care for the boy?"

Snape stood up straight and stared at Dumbledore in horror. Then, the most extraordinary thing happened. A silver doe slowly stretched out of the tip of his wand which was now pointed in mid-air. The doe glided across the office and then pranced in the air in a few circles before disappearing out the stained glass window. Once again, Lily dissolved into tears and James understood immediately. Only Harry was left confused, though not for long, for Dumbledore turned to look at Snape, and his own eyes were full of tears.

"Lily?" he said. "After all this time?"

"Always," said Snape.

And the scene dissolved.

Harry, James, and Lily jumped out of the pensieve and stood, each as frozen as the next. Several long minutes passed. Harry slowly backed into a corner, his knees buckling as he slipped to the floor and sat, shocked and scared.

Lily put a comforting arm around him, while James turned to Dumbledore, who was standing at the window with his back turned to them.

"Is this true?" James asked.

"Yes," said Dumbledore, turning to look at him.

"But how... How long have you known?"

"Since that night in Godric's Hollow, I suppose," answered Dumbledore.

At this, Lily joined them.

"Dumbledore," she said quietly. "Was Severus ever at Godric's Hollow?"

A long pause ensued.

"I think you know the answer to that question," said Dumbledore.

"Yes," nodded Lily, her brows furrowed.

James heaved a long sigh and looked round at Harry.

"Will he...is he going to be okay?"

Dumbledore smiled an old man's smile, his eyes sparkling.

"He'll be fine," he said.

And at that, Lily and James breathed and nodded.

Soon, Harry rose to his feet and exited the office.

"Where is he going?" said James, starting to follow.

"To say his goodbyes," said Dumbledore. "Stay here a while."

"Why?" asked Lily.

"He'll call you soon enough," said Dumbledore simply.

While they waited, James slowly paced around the office. Lily stood in the same spot where Severus had cast her patronus.

"What are you thinking?" Dumbledore asked.

"That there must be another way," James said truthfully.

"There is not," Dumbledore said just as Lily looked up at him hopefully.

"Thank you, Dumbledore," she said tearfully.

"For what, dear?"

"For not telling him sooner. You were right, he was too young to know this truth. Still is."

"No, Lily," said Dumbledore, now walking towards her. "He is a man."

"A good man," James added.

"A _very_ good man," said Dumbledore. "He is the kindest, most generous person I have ever met. He got that from you, Lily."

Lily smiled sadly as Dumbledore put his hand on her shoulder and looked down at her from behind the half-moon spectacles.

"And bravery came from you, James," he added, looking up at him.

James stopped pacing and met his gaze.

"Both of your love saved him...how else could he have survived his encounter with Quirrell, battling the basilisk and confronting Tom Riddle down in the chamber, competing in the Triwizard Tournament..."

"...which I still can't believe you let him do," said Lily.

"But during which he was brilliantly magnificent!" added James.

Dumbledore smiled softly.

"...escaping Voldemort in that graveyard...suffering his possession and witnessing attacks, watching Sirius die, and hunting down all of those horcruxes only to find out now that he is the true last one."

Lily and James looked at each other, communicating their fear for their son's life silently.

Dumbledore seemed to know what they were thinking because he slowly said,

"Your son can end all of this and make a future for others."

Lily only nodded, still thinking of Severus Snape.

* * *

><p>It was the most incredible tickling sensation they had ever felt. A cool wind swept over them as they looked around for the source of it. And then, their son's sweet voice sounded, calling their names with heavenly whispers. Hand in hand, James and Lily walked. They knew exactly where to go and it wasn't long before they reached it...the clearing in the dark forest.<p>

Harry stood there, eyes closed, resurrection stone in hand. When he opened his eyes, he looked right at Lily and she knew he could finally see her. James stood not far from her, watching Harry. On the other side, Lupin was watching as well and beside him, Sirius, smiling crookedly as always.

Exasperated, Harry raced up to his mother and tried to hold her hand but his went right through hers. His eyes saddened and, seeing the heartbreak in them, Lily gave him a sad smile.

"You have been so brave, sweetheart," she told him.

Fear was no longer a friend. Tears were far away and anger was a stranger. Somehow, this felt right and she knew it was going to work.

"Why are you here?" Harry asked her. "All of you?"

"We never left," she told him, and she meant it.

All these years, she and James had been watching from afar...watching him being mistreated at the Dursleys, watching dear old Hagrid tell him he's a wizard, watching him get his first wand, play his first quidditch game, make his first friends...watching him save his friends countlessly and them saving him...watching him quarrel with Snape and befriend Dobby...get his first kiss and then his second...bond with Sirius and then cry over him...journey across the country in loneliness and darkness, yet still emerge safe and sound..watching him attempt to save the wizarding world and avenge their deaths.

Harry nodded to his mother and then turned to Sirius. He seemed to stammer for a moment but at last found his voice.

"Does...does it hurt? Dying?"

Sirius smiled.

"Quicker than falling asleep," he told him.

"You're nearly there, son," James said.

"I'm sorry," Harry began, now facing them all. "I never wanted any of you to die for me. And Remus, your son!"

"Others will tell him what his mother and father died for," said Remus calmly. "One day, he'll understand."

From across the clearing, Lily smiled at Remus and he met her eye for a split second, smiling back.

"You'll stay with me?" said Harry.

"Until the end," James told him with a nod.

"And he won't be able to see you?" Harry asked Lily.

"No," said Sirius before she could answer. He then pointed to Harry's heart and Lily was glad he'd answered for she would have simply dissolved into tears. "We're here, you see."

Harry accepted his answer and then heaved a long sigh, looking back at his mother.

"Stay close to me."

Lily looked into his eyes most seriously. There were so many things she could say...wanted to say...she wanted Severus to be here as well...he deserved to be here..but this was Harry's farewell and he had chosen this. So, holding back tears, she said the only thing she felt was right to say, echoing Snape's last word.

"Always."

And at that moment, the resurrection stone slipped from Harry's fingers.

* * *

><p>Harry walked along the dark forest under the invisibility cloak, with his mother and father on one side and Sirius and Lupin on the other, wondering if he'd made the right choice, not calling Snape there. He felt differently about his actions now, but didn't think that Snape would have wanted a reunion with the Marauders...at least not so soon after such a horrific death.<p>

Harry's whole body shook with fear, but having his family there helped to keep his feet walking. He knew he had to do this. He knew it was right. He just wanted it to be over already.

Soon, he reached the part of the forest where he could clearly see the back of his enemy's head. There were hundreds of shadows nearby, waiting. Standing a fair distance away, Harry heaved one last sigh, this time unshaken, and released his cloak.

The crowd gasped in unison. Voldemort slowly turned around to face Harry.

"HARRY?! NO! WHAT 'R YA DOIN' HERE?!" Cried hagrid from behind the bushes where a few Deatheaters were holding him with ropes.

"Harry Potter," the cold voice from afar spoke softly. "The boy who lived."

Harry avoided his gaze and instead looked at his sides. Lily and James smiled at him and Sirius and Lupin did too. Feeling relaxed, green eyes met red, just as a flash of green flew straight at Harry.

And then everything went dark.


End file.
